At what age did you start bringing your kids to the parks?

[lsutigers03]

We brought our son last year when he was 5. We also had a 1 year old daughter. My inlaws paid for our son for his first trip. They'll do the same for our daughter when she's a little bit older.

 

[bopper]

I took my oldest at about 9 months..but that is because my DH had a business trip. It was more for us than for her.

 

[Little E]

Our sons were 6 and 9 for our first trip in 2011, and it was wonderful! We surprised the boys at Christmas 2010 with a January 2011 trip. We wanted to make sure both would remember the trip and we didn't want to have to worry about strollers or diaper bags in the parks. It was my DH's first trip too, and we had such amazing time that we have returned nearly every year since.

Whatever age you choose, I hope your family has a magical trip!

 

[hsmamato2]

IDK when they started getting something out of it, but I brought child #1 at 2,and almost every year subsequently,which meant child 2 started going at 6 months old. We always had fun at all the kid stages of life,and built up many fond memories for ourselves.

 

[Karlrob]

Two different questions. We took our daughter to WDW when she was one. Did she get anything out of it or remember it - no. But we sure did. Her reaction as a 1 year old to MIckey and Pooh was priceless. Our favorite picture of that year was when we posed on the bench in front of the large (no longer there) greener and flower display in the center of the Polynesian lobby. My daughter recreated that picture with her first born years later. Other advantages, you know where the child is - the stroller. She enjoyed being there at the moment in time. Yes, would do it again with a one year old. Just understand that the adults may not get on all the rides they want or eat where they want. The baby kind of drives the experience. I think our children really enjoyed the parks when they were at the age were we let them explore on their own. We checked in with them, and the were not allowed to leave the park. It felt safe then. Actually they enjoyed the parks at every age as they could suddenly go on rides they couldn't or wouldn't go on before. Good luck!

 

[Ladona Hoyt]

My daughter was 4 when we took her on first trip to Magic Kingdom

 

[jerseygal]

Both of our boys were 5. They were able to tolerate lines much better! GREAT memories, now 33 and almost 25!

 

[emerald3582]

I waited until my girls were 41" and 44", which equated to 5 and 6. I felt that if I was going to spend thousands of dollars on a DLR trip, they should be able to go on 99% of the rides. There were only 3 rides at the time that DD5 couldn't go on (in 2011). I also wanted them to be old enough to remember, at least for a little while. They are now 15 and 16 and have very vague memories of their first trip.

 

[ofcabbagesandkings]

2 years, 11 months was perfect for first trip. Old enough to enjoy some of the rides, but young enough for free admission!


-Paul

We did the same thing, going right before my eldest DS's 3rd birthday so we could celebrate it there. I will note that we made it a short trip, just going over a long weekend with only two full park days and one Halloween party on our arrival day. That felt like enough, and he was very overstimulated and tired by the end of the trip. My youngest has no memories of the trip we took when he was 1.5 years, but loved our most recent trip when he was 3.5 and talks about it all the time. Grateful we were able to go at the end of 2019. We had planned another trip while eldest DS was still not a Disney "adult" but at this point it's looking like he will be over the age of 10 before we go again.

 

[soTinkalicious]

We've gone as an extended family every other year for quite some time and then go as a large group for Thanksgiving every 4 to 5 years. We've gone pregnant, with babies, and older teenagers! My niece and nephew have memories of when they were young kids going. Having lots of family help makes it much more enjoyable.

 

[DeeSee]

Our first trip to Magic Kingdom, our kids were 2 (almost 3) and 6 months. Was just a quick day at MK after returning from a cruise. Our first real Disney trip, they were 5 and 3. Now we have a third and plan to take her when she's almost 3.
I should add, we are not American, so trips to Disney are a big deal. If I was local, I'd take them as infants

 

[Wendysofftoneverland]

My kids each were really young on their first trip (prepping for runDisney is how I lost the weight from my pregnancies). When were took my oldest the first time, he was 11 months. My youngest went on her first trip at 12 weeks. He enjoyed his first trip, but all we did was 2 park days. His 2nd trip at 20 months, he really loved. Still only 2 park days, but also loved the pool and meeting Chip and Dale at the campground. It wasn't until he was 3 that we had a rough trip with meltdowns. When I was a kid, our only trip was when I was 9, my brother 8, and my sister was 5. She doesn't remember the trip, but I remember both she and my brother had a hard time with the walking, heat, and long days, but we were at an offsite hotel and did 4 park days in a row. So I guess it depends on where you stay, the kid's personality, how you schedule your days/week, and if you are ok with them not remembering it.

 

[dvc lover 1970]

I’m newly pregnant (we’re expecting our quarantine baby at the start of 2021) so I’m way jumping the gun on this, but at what age did you start bringing your kids to the park? When do you think they were old enough to get something out of it?

We took our first trip with the kids when they were 4 and 6. I t was wonderful - they both thought the characters were real. They were in awe at the Festival of the lion king. they thought that was the real Timon and Pumba.

 

[HaliLan029]

Brought my first son, who is now 12, when he was 2. He doesn’t remember any of it, but I do! I remember the look on his face when he first saw Goofy and Mickey. That trip was mostly for me... to see my baby’s eyes light up like magic when he met his favorite characters. Greatest sight to ever see as a parent

 

[JM23457]

I’m newly pregnant (we’re expecting our quarantine baby at the start of 2021) so I’m way jumping the gun on this, but at what age did you start bringing your kids to the park? When do you think they were old enough to get something out of it?

My son was five at his first trip, and that was an excellent age. No stroller, no pull-ups or potty-training concerns. Able to go on many of the rides. Young enough to be able to believe the characters were real, yet old enough to not be scared of the characters.

 

[Boopuff]

My kids were 2 1/2 and 5 on their first trip. My parents went along, so we had plenty of help. My 2 1/2 yr old loved the characters and her one and only memory was meeting Meeko! My 5 yr old was obsessed with getting autographs (way back then when characters roamed free...)

 

[brockash]

I’m newly pregnant (we’re expecting our quarantine baby at the start of 2021) so I’m way jumping the gun on this, but at what age did you start bringing your kids to the park? When do you think they were old enough to get something out of it?

My oldest was 3, turned 4 on the trip.My second went to Disneyland at 4 months, but WDW was 17 months. My youngest we took at 7 weeks old (it was not nearly as scary/hard as some make it out to be.) Honestly taking her at 7 weeks was much easier than the trips I've had with 1 and 2 year olds. Having said this; we go every year, stay between 7-10 days. I will say the trip with the 7 week old; we ended up springing for CR, just to cut down on the buses etc. We've stayed at all levels of resorts in the past and generally have a hard time justifying the price of anything more than a value, especially CR; however I feel it was well worth it that trip.

I will say if you're only planning on going once or ebery few years etc....I'd say 3-5/6 years old is really the sweet spot.

 

[keh422]

Congratulations!! Such an exciting time for you.

Our first trip as a family was when my oldest was almost 4 and my middle child was 13 months. My youngest's first trip started the day after his first birthday. Honestly, those trips were some of our easiest. The babies napped in their strollers, nursed on dark rides, and we were able to take advantage of the baby care centers in each park and ride swap. We did first hair cuts at Harmony Barber Shop. I remember being amazed by the number of rides we could take babies on. I think kids of all ages can get something out of Disney trips. Maybe for babies it's the fascination of all the bright colors and lights and characters. A little bit older and the magic becomes REAL. I actually miss those early trips when they were so portable. Now that they're 14, 11, and 8, they can ride everything with us, but they each have their own likes and dislikes and it's a lot harder to make everyone happy at the same time. But I watch my 8-year-old completely light up when he sees Pluto for the first time each trip, and I remember why we keep going back.

 

[westie55]

I have two boys, just turned 5 and 3. I first took my older son at 8 mos and my younger son at 3 mos. Although very little ones can enjoy it well enough, I think THEY really start to get something out of it at age 3 (compared to just being a tag along). A trip with a baby is more for you than the baby, which is perfectly ok! I have enjoyed every trip we've taken. We go every year, sometimes twice.

 

[JessicaW1234]

I’m newly pregnant (we’re expecting our quarantine baby at the start of 2021) so I’m way jumping the gun on this, but at what age did you start bringing your kids to the park? When do you think they were old enough to get something out of it?

2 1/2 years old was their 1st trip. While waiting for us with grandma while we were on Splash Mountain, Goofy was wandering the park and came up to them in the stroller and spent time with them. They remember it vividly and talk about it to this day! (They are 14)